What do you do when you wake up in the morning?
Linger in bed? Think about how awful your sleep was?
Throw the sheets or pillow over your head hoping to sleep a bit more?
Then you get up.
What happens next?
Head for the washroom?
Have a shower? Wash your face?
Maybe make your coffee or tea first?
Turn on the radio or TV, maybe read the paper?
Check out social media on your phone?
Read your emails?
Start to prepare your breakfast?
Get dressed?
Rush out the door for work or an appointment?
What is your routine?
Because what you do can have an impact on the sleep you have that night.
What you should have on your morning ritual list is to set your circadian rhythm clock. Your internal timekeeper located in your brain, specificially your hypothalamus.
You can set this clock by opening up your curtains and looking at the outside. Or go out on your balcony or out your front door or go out onto your back deck. Take the dog for a walk or perhaps pretend you have a dog and go for a walk around the block. Take your morning coffee outside or sit by the window.
Look at the day and the outside around you not staring into the sun.
And if it is rainy or cloudy outside or you wake up in the dark to go to work, then have all the lights on inside or have a light therapy lamp. Do your best to see the natural daylight.
Because the brain requires a signal that it is day time. It is the cue that is transmitted through our eyes to our internal clock. It is telling your brain to be awake, alert and active. This triggers release of hormones and neurotransitters (our chemical messengers) to provide you with energy to go about your day.
This is setting your clock.
Do this within 30 minutes of waking up.
And for at least 10 minutes.
See the light! Set your clock.